Attachment for flat-knitting machines



March 25, 1930. R. E. SCHLETTER ATTACHMENT FOR FLAT KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 25, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 m rzzcseuew March 25, 1930. R. E. SCHLETTER ATTACHMENT FOR FLAT KNITTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 25, 1928 31402144 01, WE-Jmw March 25, 1930. R. E. SCHLETTER 1,752,206

ATTACHMENT FOR FLAT KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 25, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 gwuantoo March 25, 1930. R. E. SCHLETTER ATTACHMENT FOR FLAT KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 25, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I RICHARD E. SOHLM'IEB, OI PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB, BY ME ASSIGNMENTS, TO TEXTILE MACHINE WORKS, OF WYOHIBSING, PENNSYLVANIA, A.

CORPORATION 01' IENNSYLVANIA ATTAQEHENT FOB. FLAT-KNITTING HA Application filed July 25, 1928.

My said invention relates to an attachment for flat knitting machines, the present application being in part a continuation of my application Serial No. 66,916,filed November 5, 1925, 'now Patent 1,713,628, May 21, 1929. It is an object of the invention to provide special stops for yarn-guide carrier rods that have a variable traverse, such as are used for making clocks, for split-seam work, etc. The structure herein shown has several advanta es over that described in said patent the rst of which is that in the present instance I require but one chain to operate both the ratchet mechanism and the reversing means therefor. Second, but one friction box is r uired in the present instance regardless 0 the number of auxiliary yarn carrier rods employed, while in the disclosure of the patent a separate friction box was re uired for each yarn carrier rod. These iction boxes utilize considerable power when in operation and the elimination of several of them aids materially in speeding up production, produces better work, necessitates less repairs to the machine, and the machine is easier to 0 crate. Third, the parts are more positive 1n their action by means of the attachment about to bedescribed.

Referring to the drawings, which are made a part of this application and in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of so much of the machine as is necessary to a showing of the invention,

- Fig. 2, a rear elevation of the same,

Fig. 3, a vertical section on line 3-3 of a Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 a detail of parts shownm Fig. 3, on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 5, a plan showing my attachment,

Fig. 6, a plan partly in section, of means to prevent a certain operation when the narrowing means is in operation, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, showing parts seen in Fig. 6.

In the drawings the reference numeral 1 indicates the main frame of a flat knitting machine, .2, the front b am; 3, the ba k Serial No. 295,285.

tudinally movable carrier rods 6", which latter are moved by the usual mechanism well known in this art. In Fig. 3 I have shown the second and third carrier rods, counting from the right, as operating splicing yam guides with a variable stroke. Any one of the other rods may operate the guide for the body yarn with which the reinforcing ly;a rns are mterknitted, the travel of said rod emg hmited in any conventional or preferred manner, as by stops at the ends of the machine. In this disclosure of my invention, as in the foregoing showing, the novelty lies in the control of special stops for the several rods 6", limiting their path of travel, and thereby controlling the design. The nuts 9", 9 in this case are the true rodstops, and have the same function in this disclosure as in the showing in the application above referred to; i. e., determining the length of stroke of rods 6, aifd therewith the yarn carriers.

A right and left hand screw threaded spindle 11 is jourualed in bearings 12- and carries thereon the nuts 9 which in turn carry a supporting shaft 81 for the finger 82. Conventional abutment screws 7, 7 are so located onthe carrier rods that they can be made to engage the finger 82 at each side, whereby the finger and the shaft 81 will move with the carrier rod until stopped by a nut 9", the shaft being slidably mounted in nuts 9, 9, to permit endwise reciprocation of said shaft.

. Fig. 5 shows two of the abutment screws backed off into idle ger 82-. Fig. 4, sim arly shows a screw in full lines and another screw in dotted lines -on the adjacent rod back of the finger 82.

to finger 82 for reciprocation with shaft 81 to the extent permitted by nuts 9, 9. The

sc ew 11 has an end @XIQRQQP: 2Q @5211) carrying oppositely toothed ratchet wheels 21 and 22", and loosely strung arms 23 and 24 carrying spring controlled pawls 25 and 26 adapted to engage the respective ratchet wheels 21 and 22, a notched rim and locking pin being employed as usual to prevent the accidental turning of the shaft 11. A pattern control chain 50 hereinafter fully described, determines the selective engagement of the pawls, and the actuation of the connecting links 27 and 28 which are respectively connected to the loose arms 23 and 24 at their upper ends and to the levers 29" and 29 at their lower ends. These levers are pivoted at their forward ends to the main frame 1 of the machine, and carry the rollers 30 and 31, said rollers having a limited longitudinal movement on their respective lever carrier studs 32 and 33 and being adapted to ride upon special cams on the cam shaft 5, said cams having idle paths 34 and 35 and active paths 34 and 35 for the respective rollers all as in the form first described. Arms and 41 are forked at one end and engage the rollers 30 and 31 respectively, and their 0 posite ends are attached to a horizontal sha t 42 which extends practically the entire length of the machine. When motion is applied to the shaft 42 by spring 43 (Fig. 1) the arms 40 and 41 are caused to move and therewith the rollers 30 and 31" upon their respective lever carrier studs 32 and 33 from the idle paths of the cams on shaft 5 to their operative paths 34 and 35. A cam 45 mounted on cam shaft 5, acting through the medium of a bell crank 44, returns the rod 42 to the position shown in Fig. 1.

To automatically control the movement of this shaft 42", I employ the pattern chain to which a step-by-step motion is imparted from cam shaft 5, through cam 51, and link connected lever 52*, the latter having a pawl 53 acting on the ratchet teeth of chain supporting wheel 54. Studs 55 on the chain 50 are adapted to act upon the lever 56 carrying a shaft latch-member 57 to raise and lower the latch. This latch 57 slidably bears against a fixed shaft supporting bracket 58, and when in its lower position engages with its widest part between said bracket and a collar 59 fixed on the shaft 42 to temporarily hold the arms 40" and 41 in such position as to cause the rollers 30 and 31 to ride upon the idle portion of their respective cams, and when in its raised position the narrow lower end of the latch allows the shaft to move to the left to permit the said rollers to ride upon the active paths of the cams.

The raising of the lever 56 and therewith the latch member 57 is caused by the studs 55 passing beneath the said lever. These studs are adjustable uponthe pattern chain 50 and the number of them controls the numsecond set of studs 55 mounted on the pattern chain 50 and controlling a latch 57 hung from a lever 56". This latch 57 is like latch 57" and acts upon a shaft 42 in like manner to the action of latch 57 on shaft 42. Motion is imparted to the shaft 42 by the small bell crank movement 44 which imparts motion to the shaft 42, the shaft 42 abutting against a bracket on shaft 42 (Fig. 1) for this purpose. A shaft 83 (Figs. 1 and 3) extends across the machine from front to rear and carries on one end thereof an arm 84 having a forked end 85 straddling a pin 86 fixed to the shaft 42 (see Fig. 1). A spring 43 tends to move shaft 42 to the left, holding it against latch 57 or bracket 42' on shaft 42 Studs 55 and 55 can be mounted side by side so as to cause both of the preceding described mechanisms to operate in unison or studs 55 may be mounted so as to cause lever 56 and therewith arm 57 to operate independently, in which case a partial rotation of the shaft 83 is caused through the engagement of the forked arm 84 with the pin 86 on shaft 42 The opposite end of this shaft 83 carries a cross arm connection 87 (see Fig. 2) the outer ends of which are connected to the rods 88 and 89 and the upper ends of which are connected to pawl lifters 90 and 91 respectively. These pawl lifters engage slidably with studs fixedly mounted in the pawls 25 and 26 and when in one position permit the engagement of the pawl 25 with the ratchet 21 at the same time holding out of action the pawl 26 by preventing its engagement with the ratchet 22, and when in the reverse position permit the engagement of the pawl 26 with the ratchet 22*, and at the same time hold out of action the pawl 25 from engagement with the ratchet 21.

The ratchet 21 is toothed so as to be engaged by the pawl 25 which is hooked and operates upon its 'down stroke turning the screw shaft 11 in a clockwise direction and moving the nuts 9 toward each other, while the ratchet 22 is toothed so as to be engaged by the pawl 26*, which operates upon its up shaping of the leg rtion of the stockin it is essential that t e mechanism contro ing the design be held out of action, and in order to accomplish this, I employ a stop device similar to that shown at 57' Fig. 1 and operating upon the same shaft 42.

Mounted on a stud 98 adjacent the main cam shaft 5' is the usual lever cam 99 which controls the narrowing mechanism, and attached. thereto is an arm 92 (Figs. 6 and 7) which when the lever cam goes into action moves in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 6) against the collar 93 moving therewith the shaft 94 and the block 95 attached to the end thereof, into the path of travel of the collar 96 fixed to the shaft 42 and prevents the shaft from being shifted to the left by spring 43. It will thus be seen that during the narrowin of the stocking the shaft 42" which controqs the operation of the design mechanism is prevented from working. A spring 97 tends to draw rod 94 toward the rear of the machine and so to normally hold the block 95 out of the path of collar 96.

The purpose of preventin operation of the screw-actuating means uring narrowing arises out of the fact that if such means should happen to operate during narrowing the sinkers would cut off the yarns at the fabric and so cause press-ofis and. seconds.

It will be obvious to those-skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in my device without departing from the spirit of the invention. and therefore I do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawin and described in the specification but on y as indicated in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my said 1nvention, what I cla1m as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a straight knitting machme, reciprocating (yarn guide carrier rods, a finger supports independently of said yarn guide carrier rods said finger being adapted to be connected to one or more yarn guide carrier rods to reciprocate therewith, and stops arranged to limit the movement of the finger in opposite directions. n v

2. A device as in claim 1, combined with means for moving the stops simultaneously toward or from each other.

3'. A device as in claim 1, combined with pattermcontrolled means for moving the stops simultaneously toward or from each other.

4. A device as in claim 1 combined with pattern-controlled means for moving the stops simultaneously toward or from each other, said pattern-controlled means controlling both the time and the direction of movement of the stops.

5. A device as in claim 1 combined with pattern-controlled means for moving the stops simultaneously toward or from each other, and means for preventing op ration 'cating yarn gulde carrier rods, a

- rier rods said finger 'endwise movement limited pf said means during the narrowing operaion.

6. In a straight knitting machine, reciprofinger supported independentl of the yarn guide caring adapted to be connected to one or more yarn guide carrier rods to reciprocate therewith, stops arranged to limit the movement of the finger in opposite directions, and a reversely threaded spindle connected to said sto s for moving themtoward or from each 0t er.

7. A device as in claim 6, combined with pattern-controlled means for rotating said spindle.

8. A device as in claim 6, combined with pattern-controlled means for rotating said spindle, said attern-controlled means controlling both 1: e direction and the time of rotation of the spindle.

9. A device as in claim 6, combined with pattern-controlled means for rotating said spindle, and means for preventing rotation tof said spindle during the narrowing operaion. a

10. In a straight knitting machine, reciprocating arm-carrier rods, a pair of stops, means or moving the stops toward or from each other, a reciprocatory shaft carried by said sto s and having its endwise movement limited y said stops, and means for connecting said shaft to one or more of said carrier rods.

11. A device as in claim 10, the stop-moving means being pattern-controlled to determine the direction and the time of such movement.

a 12. A device as in claim 10, the stop-moving means being pattern-controlled to determine the direction and the time of such movement, and means to prevent movement of the stops during the narrowing operation.

13. A device as in claim 10, the stop-moving means being pattern-controlled to determine the direction and the time of such movement, and means to prevent movement of the 15. In a straight knitting machine, recip- I rocating yarn guide carrier rods, a pair of stops, reversely threaded spindle connected to said rods for moving them simultaneously toward or from each other, a reciprocatory shaft carried by said stops and having by said stops,

means for connecting said shaft to one or more of said carrier rods, means for rotating said spindle, and a single pattern chain controlling hoth the times and the direction of rotation of the spindle.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

RICHARD E. SCHLETTER. 

